Many of our readers will be familiar with the superb work of artist Donato Giancola, whose stunning paintings have graced the covers of many books, including editions of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He’s a good friend of TORn’s, and some of you may have met him at one of our ‘Ringers Take Manhattan’ parties.

This weekend, Giancola will be appearing as Artist Guest of Honour at GenCon in Indianapolis. He’ll also be appearing at New York ComicCon in October. He has recently completed a fabulous new work set in Middle-earth: The Fellowship in Hollin. Here’s what Donato had to say about creating this landscape:

As an artist, I have always appreciated J.R.R. Tolkien’s ability to convey a deep sense of a place without ever having to provide visual details, for example the Fellowship’s journey southward took them through ‘bleak hills, and deep valleys filled with turbulent waters.’ The power in those descriptions comes not from visually acute details, but from emotional charged phrases, for what are, exactly, ‘bleak hills’? Hills devoid of vegetation? Hills covered in nasty, thorny bushes and old dying trees? Hills that make you feel depressed, heavy wooded with dark pines and evergreens blocking out the light? All of the above? Or not?

The wonderful gift Tolkien has given us is that all of these interpretations are valid. Each of us experiences the journeys, trials, and epiphanies of the members of the Fellowship on our own terms, within our own personal contexts and imaginative developments. Every visual interpretation is a shadow of the reality he carved out as a story teller, and yet deep inside I feel the need to bring forth concrete representations of those experiences. These expressions become a way for me to bind myself to the literature even stronger, as if to say here is the progeny I have helped birth with your contribution.

Turning Tolkien’s words into a visual reality is no small feat. The impressive list of talent that has undertaken these labors stretches back decades upon decades, creating an imposing collection of sheer genius and beauty – Alan Lee, John Howe, Ian Miller, The Hildebrandt Brothers, Ted Nasmith, Michael Hague, Inger Edelfeldt, Roger Garland and David Wenzel just begin to skim the surface. It is a weight of expectation that keeps me pushing my craft to the limit.

Recently I have been infatuated with the power and sublimity of majestic landscapes of the Hudson River School artists and their like. The conveyance of a strong, emotional sense of place within nature has been influencing many recent commissions. It was thus to these great painters that I turned my eye when considering how to interpret a new image of the Fellowship. The marriage of Tolkien’s worlds with the visions created by these landscape painters made for a perfect merging of two art forms.

A few visits to Albert Bierstadt and Frederick Church paintings at the Metropolitan Museum and Brooklyn Museum of Art helped prime the desire to pull this off in a grand, epic way. Although much in the shadow of these landscape giants, it is a pleasure to play within their aesthetics of dramatic lighting, dynamic design and fantastic interpretive landscape. The saturated, colorful paintings of Thomas Moran, another brilliant mind from the Hudson River School, were also an informing source.

It is an honor and thrill to bring this scene to life, showcasing The Fellowship of the Ring on their journey through the lands of Hollin, their forms reflected in a still body of water, foreshadowing of their impending journey underground into Moria.

This stunning painting – along with many other wonderful artworks by Giancola – is available to purchase as a limited edition print. Click here to find out more. If you’re at GenCon this weekend, be sure to go and see Donato’s beautiful work on display.

]]>http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/08/15/103765-middle-earth-artist-donato-giancola-artist-guest-of-honor-at-gencon-this-weekend/feed/0103765Today in Middle-earth, July 19http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/07/19/32747-today-in-middle-earth-july-19-2/
Wed, 19 Jul 2017 06:00:13 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=32747The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on July 19th:

Bilbo’s lost in the caves (1341)

Riddles in the dark (1341)

Bilbo finds the dwarves and the wizard (1341)

The Company is trapped in the trees (1341)

The funeral escort of King Théoden sets out (1419)

July 19, 2941 (S.R. 1341)

1. Bilbo’s lost in the caves.

(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)

“Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature….”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 78 Hobbit)

2. Riddles in the dark.

(determined from text)

“Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum…”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 79-95 Hobbit)

3. Bilbo finds the dwarves and the wizard.

(determined from text)

“And here’s the burglar!” said Bilbo stepping down into the middle of them, and slipping off the Ring.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 98-100 Hobbit)

4. The Company is trapped in the trees.

(determined from text)

“”Must we go any further?” asked Bilbo, when it was so dark that he could only just see Thorin’s beard wagging beside him…”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 103-113 Hobbit)

July 19, 3019 (S.R. 1419)

1. The funeral escort of King Théoden sets out.

(from the appendices)

“At last the day of departure came, and a great and fair company made ready to ride north from the City.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 113 RotK)

]]>32747Today in Middle-earth, Midsummer’s Day [Mid-year’s Day]http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/07/01/29116-today-in-middle-earth-lithe-midsummers-day/
Sat, 01 Jul 2017 06:00:25 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=29116The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on Midsummer’s Day:

Gandalf, the Dwarves and their Burglar leave Rivendell for the Lonely Mountain (1341)

Aragorn and Arwen – A promise is born (1380)

Gandalf meets Radagast the Brown (1418)

The Wedding of Elessar and Arwen (1419)

Frodo resigns office of mayor, and Will Whitfoot is restored (1420)

The death of Mistress Rose, wife of Master Samwise, on Mid-year’s Day (1482)

Midsummer’s Day, 2941 (S.R. 1341)

1. Gandalf, Thorin, the Dwarves and their Burglar leave Rivendell for the Lonely Mountain.

(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)

“The next morning was a midsummer’s morning as fair and fresh as could be dreamed….”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 63 Hobbit)

Midsummer’s Day, 2980 (S.R. 1380)

1. Aragorn and Arwen – A promise is born.

(from the appendices)

“Then for a season they wandered together in the glades of Lothlórien, until it was time for him to depart….”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 424 RotK)

Midsummer’s Day, 3018 (S.R. 1418)

1. Gandalf meets Radagast the Brown.

(from the appendices)

“‘At the end of June I was in the Shire, but a cloud of anxiety was on my mind…'”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 336-338 FotR)

Midsummer’s Day, 3019 (S.R. 1419)

1. The Wedding of Elessar and Arwen

(from the appendices)

“…Then the King welcomed his guests, and they alighted…”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 310 RotK)

Midsummer’s Day, 3020 (S.R. 1420)

1. Frodo resigns office of mayor, and Will Whitfoot is restored.

(from the appendices)

“If Sam thought himself lucky, Frodo knew that he was more lucky himself….”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 377 RotK)

Midsummer’s Day, 3082 (S.R. 1482)

1. The death of Mistress Rose, wife of Master Samwise, on Mid-year’s Day.

(from the appendices-no text)

And in the full tale of days, Sam is again parted from one he loves.

]]>29116Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Middle-earth from Script to Screen and two new helmshttp://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/05/11/103132-collecting-the-precious-weta-workshops-middle-earth-from-script-to-screen-and-two-new-helms/
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/05/11/103132-collecting-the-precious-weta-workshops-middle-earth-from-script-to-screen-and-two-new-helms/#respondFri, 12 May 2017 04:03:03 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=103132One of the things I love the most in my collection are all the behind the scene books, art books, making of type books. It’s so much fun getting a chance to see the process of how these fantastic films were brought to life. Our friends at Weta have a brand new book that fits this genre of book with the Middle-earth: From Script to Screen. This 512 page book covers the world building Sir Peter Jackson and the crew at Weta did to build what we saw in both The Lord of the Rings Trilogy as well as The Hobbit Trilogy. Written by Daniel Falconer with assistance by our own Happy Hobbit Kili (done under her pen name KM Rice) this richly illustrated with thousands of film frames, concept art and behind-the-scenes imagery, many previously unseen, Middle-earth: From Script to Screen follows in the footsteps of the Fellowship of the Ring and the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, visiting the realms and landscapes of Middle-earth and uncovering their secrets. You can Pre-Order this fantastic book right now for $75, and if you do so straight from Weta you will receive a set of exclusive prop replica set dressings by 3Foot7 Calligrapher Daniel Reeve.

In other Weta news, as we’ve mentioned before the 1:4 helm line is back and doing fantastic. All previous helms are sold out and with only 750 piece edition sizes for these next two they will sell out soon as well. Created by Dave Tremont the Mirkwood Elf Helm gives fans a chance to own a piece of armor representing the Mirkwood Elves from The Hobbit Trilogy. Also created by Dave Tremont the new Gundabad Orc Helm captures very different style of armor the Orcs of The Hobbit had from their The Lord of the Rings counterparts. Both helms are simply fantastic and are great additions to any collection. Both can be Pre-Ordered right now for $79.

]]>http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/05/11/103132-collecting-the-precious-weta-workshops-middle-earth-from-script-to-screen-and-two-new-helms/feed/0103132Today in Middle-earth, May 1http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/05/01/28774-today-in-middle-earth-may-1/
Mon, 01 May 2017 05:15:47 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=28774The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on May 1st:

Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell (1342)

Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met (1418)

Crowning of King Elessar (1419)

Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell (1419)

Samwise marries Rose (1420)

May 1, 2942 (S.R. 1342)

1. Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell.

(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)

“It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. “

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 279 Hobbit)

May 1, 3018 (S.R. 1418)

1. Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met

(not from the appendices)

“Strider looked grave. ‘I do not know,’ he said. ‘I came west with him in the spring. I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the last few years, when he was busy elsewhere.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 234 FotR)

May 1, 3019 (S.R. 1419)

1. Crowning of King Elessar.

(from the appendices)

“…upon the White Tower of the citadel the standard of the Stewards, bright argent like snow in the sun, bearing no charge nor device, was raised over Gondor for the last time.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 302-304 RotK)

2. Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell.

(from the appendices-no text)

On the day Aragorn entered the City to claim his kingship, a great Company departed from Rivendell to journey to the south.

[TIME and BS entries are maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and are in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. Copyrights and trademarks for the books from which dates and short quotes are taken are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law.]

]]>http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/22/70976-a-middle-earth-day-tribute/feed/070976Today in Middle-earth, April 12http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/12/28639-today-in-middle-earth-april-12/
Wed, 12 Apr 2017 06:00:08 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/04/12/28639-today-in-middle-earth-april-12/The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on April 12th:

Gandalf reaches Hobbiton (3018)

April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) The Great Years

1. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.

(from the appendices)

“…after a late breakfast, the wizard was sitting with Frodo by the open window of the study. A bright fire was on the hearth, but the sun was warm…

Gandalf was thinking of a Spring, nearly eighty years before, when Bilbo had run out of Bag End without a handkerchief….”

“When Sam awoke, he found that he was lying on some soft bed… …All the air was full of a sweet mingled scent.

He remembered that smell: the fragrance of Ithilien.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 282-288 RotK)

2. The Ring-bearers revisit fair Ithilien.

(not from the appendices)

“Orcs, and talking trees, and leagues of grass, and galloping riders, and glittering caves, and white towers and golden halls, and battles, and tall ships sailing, all these passed before Sam’s mind until he felt bewildered.”

(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 288-289 RotK)

]]>28455The Champion of Middle-earth March Madness 2017 is…http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/07/102926-the-champion-of-middle-earth-march-madness-2017-is/
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/07/102926-the-champion-of-middle-earth-march-madness-2017-is/#respondFri, 07 Apr 2017 12:09:33 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=102926Almost three weeks ago we began our battles in this year’s Middle-earth March Madness. Each year, we try to mix things up a bit by creating different brackets; this year the categories were Books Only,Movies Only, Wider Mythos and Movie and Book, giving us four sets of varied characters from Tolkien’s realm. We also let previous champions Gandalf, Galadriel, Samwise Gamgee and Thranduil sit it out in a ‘Champion’s Hall of Fame’ – so we knew we’d have a first time victor this year.

Before we announce the overall winner, let’s look back over the five rounds which led up to the Final:

In Movies Only, the Moth Messengers made their first appearance, but were quickly squashed under the trotters of Dain’s Boar. Sebastian the Hedgehog, however, in a blow for small mammals everywhere, vanquished the Goblin Scribe; and there were brief hopes that he might make his way onwards to win the group. Alas, in Round 2 he came up against Tauriel, and he was no match for the elf warrior.

Figwit unruffled as ever

Alfrid Lickspittle, to the relief of many, was hastily dispatched by Figwit; the immaculate elf cruised through to the Sweet Sixteen Round 3, only to be defeated there by mighty stallion Brego. This fiercesome mount was the overall victor of the Movies Only group, having beaten Tauriel in the Elite Eight round.

Brego faced the winner of the Books Only section; a tough group, featuring such legends as Goldberry, Glorfindel, Elrohir, the Barrow-wights and Quickbeam. Small wonder that Fatties Bolger and Lumpkin were unable to get past Round One! In Round Three we had the first awkward pairing of the tournament, when Tom Bombadil had to take on his wife, Goldberry. Perhaps he overcame her, or perhaps she graciously allowed him to win; either way, it was the creature in yellow boots who went on to secure the division.

Not surprisingly, some of the most popular figures appeared in the Movie and Book bracket. Here the likes of Bilbo, Pippin, Faramir and Boromir had to battle Merry, Thorin, Aragorn and other heroes. Even the villains had tough match-ups, with Smaug facing the Witch-king and Sauron up against Shelob – and these were all just first round fights! By the Sweet Sixteen, Sauron was the only bad guy still in the mix – but Elrond did what he could not at the end of the Second Age, and vanquished the Necromancer; only to fall to the section winner, Aragorn, in the Elite Eight.

That fourth round also saw our second difficult ‘lovers’ tiff’, with Beren coming up against Luthien in the Wider Mythos division. Their journey to that point had seen them conquer such worthy opponents as Feanor, Earendil, Glaurung and Varda. Even Morgoth and Eru himself couldn’t make it past Round Two! In the Elite Eight match-up, mortal man Beren was no test for his elf spouse; she won their battle with an overwhelming more than 70% of the vote, making her winner of the Wider Mythos section.

In the Semi Finals, Luthien wasn’t able to defeat another devotee of elf-maidens; she was conquered by the Ranger from the North. The other Final Four battle brought disappointment for those of us hoping for a Brego vs Aragorn final; Tom Bombadil beat the steed, taking almost two thirds of the vote.

And so Aragorn was in to his second Middle-earth March Madness final, facing a somewhat unknown quantity in the strange and ancient creature from the Old Forest. The 2200+ votes have been counted, and the winner is…

ARAGORN! The Ranger from the North, Isildur’s heir, proves himself the Once and Future King, and with almost 70% of the vote, he becomes Middle-earth March Madness Champion 2017!

Over 50,000 votes were cast in this year’s event. The majority of the voting came from the United States (60%), but places like the UK and Canada made a valiant showing with 7% each.

Thanks to all who participated in the fun this year – we hope you enjoyed it. Let us know if you have suggestions for brackets or pairings in future. Middle-earth March Madness will return in 2018!

Here are the full results for Middle-earth March Madness 2017:

]]>http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/07/102926-the-champion-of-middle-earth-march-madness-2017-is/feed/0102926Middle-earth March Madness FINAL is here! Vote now for your Champion!http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/04/102912-middle-earth-march-madness-final-is-here-vote-now-for-your-champion/
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/04/04/102912-middle-earth-march-madness-final-is-here-vote-now-for-your-champion/#respondTue, 04 Apr 2017 16:35:51 +0000http://www.theonering.net/torwp/?p=102912And then there were two… We’re down to the Grand Final in Middle-earth March Madness 2017 – only one can emerge as this year’s Champion. Here’s what happened in the Final Four stage:

In Books Only vs Movies Only, we had Tom Bombadil dancing rings around loyal steed Brego, who just couldn’t come up with any answers to the yellow-booted fellow. Alas, (for those of us who were hoping for an Aragorn vs Brego final), Bombadil took almost two thirds of the vote to win this fight.

Wider Mythos vs Movie and Book saw Luthien take on a man who knows a bit about immortal elf maidens, and what it means to give your heart to one. With a similar margin to the other Semi Final, Aragorn easily defeated the pointy-eared warrior to claim his place in the Final.

Here are the full results for Middle-earth March Madness thus far:

And so we come to it at last – the great battle of our time. This year’s Championship Round in Middle-earth March Madness sees Strider, the Ranger from the North, take on Tom Bombadil, the River-woman’s daughter’s husband… How will these characters match up? Let’s take a look at some vital statistics for them both:

Tolkien describes Strider as tall, with ‘a shaggy head of dark hair flecked with grey, and in a pale stern face a pair of keen grey eyes.’ Raised by his mother at Rivendell, with Elrond as a surrogate father, he there met Arwen Undomiel. After meeting Frodo at The Prancing Pony in Bree, he became part of the Fellowship, which he then led after Gandalf’s fall in Moria.

Aragorn has participated in Middle-earth March Madness every year; he was last in the final in 2012, when he was defeated by Samwise Gamgee.

Date of Birth: Unknown. He says of himself, ‘Eldest, that’s what I am … Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn … When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already … before the Dark Lord came from Outside.’
Race: Unknown. Elrond calls him ‘a strange creature’
Spouse: Goldberry, known as ‘River-woman’s daughter”

Very little is known of Tom Bombadil. He lives in the valley of the Withywindle river, by the Old Forest. We know plenty about his appearance – Tolkien describes him as wearing ‘an old battered hat with a tall crown and a long blue feather stuck in the band.’ The Professor goes on: ‘a man, or so it seemed. At any rate he was too large and heavy for a hobbit, if not quite tall enough for one of the Big People … stumping along with great yellow boots on his thick legs … He had a blue coat and a long brown beard; his eyes were blue and bright, and his face was red as a ripe apple, but creased into a hundred wrinkles of laughter.’ He has extraordinary power within his own domain, commanding Old Man Willow and the Barrow-wights to release the hobbits, and being totally unaffected by the power of the Ring. He seems, however, to live somewhat outside the world, being mostly unconcerned with the goings-on of the other races of Middle-earth.

Bombadil has been in Middle-earth March Madness several times, but has never before made it past Round 2.

If Bombadil and Aragorn were to ride into battle, Aragorn (in the movies, at least) would ride in on Brego; Tom would come on his faithful pony, Fatty Lumpkin.

Will Strider be overcome by ancient and powerful magic? Or will Tom’s nonchalant attitude be defeated by the warrior skills of the Ranger from the North?

After a fairly close fight, Brego is the victor of the Movies Only group! Elf warrior Tauriel just couldn’t overcome the battle-hardened steed; could we be heading towards that Aragorn vs Brego final? It’s certainly still on the cards, as Aragorn comfortably defeated Elrond to emerge as champion of the Movie and Books category.

Books Only was neck and neck right up to the last moment, with yellow boots taking on pointy ears; Tom Bombadil finally won over Glorfindel, with a margin of just over 1%! So it is Tom who goes on to face Brego in the Semi Final. Aragorn’s opponent in this penultimate round will be courageous elf maiden Luthien, who was pitted against her own true love Beren in the Elite Eight. The mortal man proved to be no match for her, with Luthien taking over 70% of the vote in the Wider Mythos pairing. After all the trials they endured in Angband, let’s hope their love survived this latest challenge!

Here are the full results from the Elite Eight:

Voting for the Final Four matches is now open! You have until April 3rd 10pm EST to have your say. Will we see that Brego/Aragorn final? You decide – VOTE NOW!

In the Movies Only group, Tauriel continues to show her warrior strength, seeing off Lurtz by a pretty wide margin. Less expected was the other result in this category – Figwit’s untroubled progess thus far was halted in a convincing manner, as he was easily beaten by fiercesome steed Brego.

Books Only saw pairings with very wide margins of victory: Glorfindel defeated Prince Imrahil with more than 80% of the vote, and in the most awkward battle thus far, Tom Bombadil conquered his spouse Goldberry. Tom had almost three quarters of the vote in this fight; personally, I was hoping that Goldberry would rain on his parade, but it wasn’t to be. I hope they’re still speaking…

In Movie and Books, Elrond managed what he couldn’t at the end of the Second Age, defeating Sauron without any problems. Aragorn also had an easy win – I’m afraid Bilbo proved no match for the Ranger from the North. So we’re still on for a potential final between loyal horse Brego and the man he saved… Could be interesting!

And finally, in the Wider Mythos set, we’re looking at a battle to rival the awkwardness of the Bombadil/Goldberry fight… Yes, devoted lovers Luthien and Beren are through, and will face each other in the Quarter Finals. TORn will need to start offering couples’ counselling if we’re going to make a habit of these kind of matches!

Here are the full results from the third round:

You can vote in the Quarter Finals until March 31st 10pm EST. Beren or Luthien? Immortal elf-maiden or the man who risked all to win her hand? You decide – VOTE NOW!